1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weights used with sports equipment for training. In particular, the present invention is a weight that is used on a hockey stick for muscle training.
2. Discussion of Background
Training weights used with sports equipment are known in a number of different sports. The ring-shaped weights used with baseball bats are a familiar example. Weights train the muscles used in the particular motion of the body for that sport; those muscles then become conditioned to respond in the same way when called upon. This type of training or conditioning is called "muscle memory."
There are a great many muscles in the abdomen, the chest, the arms, the neck, the shoulders, and the back of the human body, and each sport uses these muscles in different ways and to different degrees. The swing of a baseball bat is much different than the two-handed swing of a tennis racket; the swing of a golf club is much different than the swing of a hockey stick.
In the sport of hockey, a player, through the use of a hockey stick, must learn to handle a puck smoothly and effectively and to shoot with accuracy and strength. Normally, the stick used in hockey is comprised of a shaft with a handle on one end and a blade extending from the other end. In use, the player grasps the stick with one hand on the handle and the other on the shaft. A good hockey player must develop a muscle "memory." That is, the player learns how to use his muscles so that the swing of the stick produces the desired trajectory and speed, regardless of the position of the puck with respect to the blade, the force imparted on the puck and the motion of the player's wrist when imparting such force.
In order for a training weight to aid in the development of a player's skills, the device must impart sufficient weight necessary for conditioning, but not distort the "memory" required for accuracy. Prior to the present invention, stick weights have suffered various problems which have decreased their efficiency and increased the dangers associated with their use. The following is a brief review of prior art stick weights and the problems encountered with their use.
It is known to attach weight along the shaft of the stick. Gemmel (U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,560) discloses a U-shaped weight that can be attached to the shaft or handle of the stick and secured by clamp screws. A cover wraps around the exposed screws, protecting the player from injury. Similarly, Canadian Patent No. 936,553 discloses a weighted disk which is placed on the shaft of the stick and secured by a wing or thumbscrew. The weight imparted on the stick by such designs is concentrated over a limited area of the shaft. Consequently, when a player handles or shoots the puck, such a player must "compensate" for the concentrated load. Thus, during practice, the player develops a shooting "memory" based on weight concentrated at the base of the shaft rather than at the blade. Thereafter, when the weight is removed, the player's "memory" causes inaccurate passes and shots because the weight of the puck is concentrated on the blade and not on the shaft. The result is that a player using a conventional shaft weight will develop the wrong "memory."
Another problem associated with prior stick weights is that they are often fastened by screws. Screws penetrate the surface of the stick. When removed, such penetrations become potential stress fracture points, thereby making the stick more susceptible to fractures and cracks. This, in turn, decreases the useful life of the stick and increases the danger of player injury. Moreover, poor securement of the screws produces a training weight that "rattles" against the blade and/or moves out of place. This condition results in player distraction, difficulty in handling and poor shooting. Frequently, aggressive shooting causes these weights to loosen. As a result, the weight becomes a projectile and can cause damage and serious player injury.
Therefore, there remains a need for an effective and safe training weight for a hockey stick.